# Australians should prepare for online services to go down unexpectedly as threats rise, cyber agency warns

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/australians-should-prepare-for-online-services-to-go-down-unexpectedly-as-threats-rise-cyber-agency-warns/
- Published: 2026-10-26T11:30:40+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T12:04:16+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/26/australians-should-prepare-for-online-services-to-go-down-unexpectedly-as-threats-rise-cyber-agency-warns
- Topics: AI, Business, Cybersecurity, Markets, Software, Technology

## Key points

- ASD says Australian online services may go offline as threats rise.
- It handled 1,500 incidents, up 20% in a year.
- The agency urges organisations to modernise and use AI for defence.

## Summary

Australia’s Signals Directorate (ASD) has warned that online services could go offline unexpectedly as cyber threats grow, and says organisations should put system security ahead of keeping every service available. Its annual report says artificial intelligence is helping criminals and foreign state actors find weaknesses and launch attacks more quickly, so defenders need advanced AI tools as well.

In 2025-26, ASD responded to 1,500 cyber security incidents, 20% more than the year before, and alerted organisations to more than 4,400 potential malicious incidents, an 80% rise. The agency also reported persistent attempts to breach Australian government and private networks, warning that outdated technology is a major risk and that attacks could prepare for future intelligence gathering or disruption.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.